Third-rail support.



W. B. POTTER.

THIRD RAIL SUPPORT.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 1. 190a.

1,104,220. I V Patented July 2'1,191

2e 23 I -O{ 25 a2 F164 F1 5 Witnesses: 7yentop;

,Unrrnn srnrns arana orricn.

WILIIIAM B. POTTER, 0F SCHENEGTAD Y, NEVT YORK, ASSIGNOR T0 GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

THIRD-RAIL surronr.

To all whom it may concern;

Be it known that I, WILLIAM B. POTTER,

a citizen of the United States, residing at transmitting current from a stationary con,-

ductor to the vehicle.

The object of the invention is to provide a strong and highly efficient means for supporting and protecting a third rail contact, so that when charged with high potentials it will be thoroughly insulated from ground and positively held in the required position vilith necessary clearance for the contact s oe.

The invention is shown in the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification, in vwhich Figure l is an end elevation of an insula tor and the connecting means with the rail and tie; Fig. 2 is a side-elevation; Figs. 3 and 4 are an end elevation and a plan of a modification; Fig. 5 is a. transverse section of the rail and protecting cover.

In the construction shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the insulator 1 is made in the form of a -massive pedestal having a broad base resting upon a tie 2 of the road bed, with its side adjacent the rail sloping outwardly and upwardly and provided near its upper end with a shallow recess 3. Extending diago-- nally downward from the recess is an aperture 4, and at the bottom are formed diago- -nal recesses 5 and 6 sloping in opposite dimotions to form a dovetail? between them.

The tie 2 is provided with an iron block 8 held thereto by bolt 9 and adapted to enter 1 the recess 5, and an angle iron 10 adapted to enter the recess 6 and held in position by bolt 11 and thereby securing the insulator to the tie. A space block of iron 12 is seated in the shallow recess 3 and has at its outer end a shoulder 13 upon which one flange of the contact rail 14 rests. An aperture 15 extends through the block12 in line with the aperture 4 in the insulator and has its outer end countersunk to form a shoulder at 16. A hooked device 17 is provided with a shoulder 18 symmetrical with the shoulder 13 on the block-12 to engage the opposite flange of Specification of Letters iatent.

Application filed July 1,1908. Serial No. 441,327.

FatentedJuly 21, 1914..

the contact rail 14 and is bent up over the rail so as to allow clearance between the latter and the under side of the device at 19. The hooked device is provided with a shoulder 20 which engages with the shoulder 16 in the block 12 sothat the shouldered ends 13 and 18 may not bind against the rail, and a reduced extension thereof passes through an aperture 4, in the insulator and-receives a nut 21 at its outer end whereby the device 17 and the block 12 are securely clamped to the insulator.

In the modification shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the insulator 1 is provided with an enlarged base and secured to the tie in the same manner as in the construction shown in Figs.

" 1 and 2. The upper end of the insulator is projected toward the conductor rail 14 and slopes outwardly and upwardly at 22. At the top of the insulator a transverse groove 23 is formed which terminates near the outer edge of the insulator in a T-slot 24. A hooked device 25 is seated in the groove 23 and has a T-shaped end 26 seated in the slot,

24, and its hooked end 27 passes over and engages the under side of the flange of the contact rail 14. A space block 28 is secured to the device 25 by two bolts 29 with its outer end clamping the flange of the contact rail and its inner end provided with a sloping surface 30 to engage the corresponding surface 22 of the insulator and limit the downward movement of the holding means and rail relative 'to the insulator, while the contact rail and holding means are free to move upwardly about the T-end 26 as a pivot.

- The contact rail 14, between points of support, may be protected by a trough 31 made of wood or other insulating material with its sides sloping inwardly and downwardly and operating to hold in place wedge-shaped blocks 32. of insulating material which engage opposite sides of the third rail, as shown in Fig. 5.

I do not desire to restrict myself to the particular form or arrangement of parts, since it is apparent that they may be changed and modified without departing from my invention.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, 1s

The means for supporting a contact rail in inverted position with clearance above the railway, comprising an insulator having a regess formed in one side, a space block means for tensioning said hook-shaped de-' seated in said recessand provided with a vice. 10 I shoulder for engaging a flange of the rail In Witness whereof, I have hereunto set and with a shouldered aperture, a book my hand this 30th day of June, 1908.

snaped device engaging the opposite flange WILLIAM B. POTTER.

of the rail and having a shouldered shank Witnesses:

passing through said shouldered aperture BENJAMIN B. HULL,

in the block and through the insulator, and HELEN ORFORD. 

